My Fair Lady
by Scelerata
Summary: Zack loses a bet. [2009]


"Oh come on, you can't be serious." Zack whined, staring foully at his friend. Kunsel simply shrugged, clearly uninterested in his protests, and grinned.

"Well you lost the bet, Zack. You gotta own up."

"Yeah but are the sandals really necessary?" He questioned, turning to eye himself in the three-quarters length mirror that spanned the wall of the communal shower room. Contrasting against his heavily tanned skin was a pale yellow sundress that Kunsel had all but beat him into. Bright sunflowers laced the entire lower hem of the skirt, while the neck and arm holes had delicate green ribbon trim. Their entire outfit came together with lime green laced cork sandals, and frankly, Zack was mortified beyond words.

"Well you can't wear combat boots." Kunsel said, a little too gleefully, and Zack glared back heavily.

"Where did you even find these in my size?"

"We went to the Lady's Big and Tall."

"…great. Just great."

Zack stared at his reflection for a moment longer, then sighed heavily. When he turned back to Kunsel, he found him standing at the doorway of the shower room, arms crossed triumphantly.

"Alright Zack, up and out there." He instructed, motioning towards the door, and Zack could have died right there.

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm very serious, don't you know. It was part of the bet."

Zack glared. "What kind of friend are you, man?"

"One that's about to be richer in life experience." He countered. "Now move."

Zack crossed his arms, and almost pouted, but decided not to give his friend any more ammunition in the situation. Slowly, reluctantly, he marched his way to the door, cast one last hateful look at his peer, and then marched into the hallway with such solemn disposition that he might as well have been marching to his own execution. The fact that the people around him seemed to clear a path for him didn't help the overall doomed feel of the situation either, and Zack wasn't sure which was more mortifying: the horrified stares he was receiving, or the raucous laughter that seemed to follow him.

"This is humiliating." He muttered aloud to no one. Someone whistled behind him, but he ignored it, and made a bee line out towards the SOLDIER lobby, hoping to bypass the throngs of people at work. It was routinely deserted, as most active SOLDIER members didn't have the time or energy for relaxation. Perfect for hiding one's shame, or so he had thought, but as he trudged his way miserably into the quiet nook, he found himself staring at probably the last presence he wanted to see at the given time. Sitting on the curved couch was Angeal, shoulder-to-shoulder with a strawberry haired man in a pale red coat. Both men were buried nose deep in reading material. Zack briefly considered turning tail, but didn't get the chance, as his mentor seemed inhumanly in tune with his surroundings, and quickly alerted himself to Zack's presence. Glancing up, he almost looked away in disinterest, before double taking. Beside him, Genesis looked up as well, stared blankly a moment, then cocked his head towards his long time friend and peer, and spiked a thin brow.

"I believe that belongs to you, Angeal." He stated flatly, motioning ever so slightly to Zack, and stood, tucking his own book under his elbow. He gave Zack one last disapproving look, then walked away without another word, leaving his friend to stew in the unpleasant image that had stumbled upon him.

"…who was that?" Zack questioned, briefly distracted from his own problematic experience. Angeal shook his head slightly.

"Unimportant. What are you wearing?"

Zack looked from Angeal, down at himself, and sighed, running one hand through his hair.

"The latest fashion from Lady's Big and Tall, apparently."

"Mm. What, no rouge?"

"Funny." Zack snapped, and flopped unceremoniously onto the couch beside Angeal. Angeal glanced sidelong at him, then returned his attention to his book, turning the page with his thumb.

"Cross your legs." He instructed plainly, without so much looking up from the paper, and Zack spiked a brow.

"What? Why?"

"Because it's unladylike."

"…you find this funny, don't you?"

"Wouldn't dream of it." Angeal murmured, smirking slightly. "So care to tell me why you're dressed like that?"

"I lost a bet."  
"Well at least it's tasteful." Angeal muttered, and Zack wasn't sure if he was being serious, or just taunting him. "How long do you plan to wear that?"

"I have to keep it on until 6pm tonight."

"You have basic at three."

Zack groaned. Angeal flipped past another page in his book, shook his head, and frowned.

"I can't imagine how this will look on you record when you're considered for promotion. Somehow I doubt the director wants his men running around in this year's latest fall fashions."

Zack buried his face in his hands and whined to himself, then looked up at Angeal rather like a kicked puppy.

"Why can't you just laugh at me like every one else, and leave it at that? Why do you have to be so…so…" He paused, at a loss for words. "…so…you."

"My sincerest apologies." Angeal murmured. "I'll have to remember to act less like myself in the future."

He tilted his head towards the novel he was reading, clearly interested in something specific on the page, but after a moment, he looked up, and cocked his head towards Zack abruptly, as if he'd just remembered something important.

"Zack." He broached slowly. "What are you wearing under that?"

Zack looked confused for just a moment, then took to digging into the dress' front left pocket. Front within it's depths, he produced a crumbled label.

"Uh. 'Low cut front dip bikini briefs.'" He read allowed. Angeal stared a moment, clearly unversed in the various fashions of women's underwear, and Zack grinned.

"Want to see?" He questioned grinning broadly. Angeal covered his face with his hand, slowly dragging his palm down to his jaw with a groan.

"I refuse to answer that."

"Oh come on." The third class teased. "They've got puppies on them."

"…I didn't need that mental image."

"Yeah, but now that's going to be the last thing you see before you fall asleep tonight."

"Thanks."

"You can't expect me to suffer alone."

"I'm not the one who'll be doing PT in a dress."

Zack groaned again.


End file.
